An Evergreen Tree
by mollycullen
Summary: Some people simply cannot accept there are other supernatural species existing apart from themselves'. I glare at her; she grins. Bella comes to Forks, causing havoc upon the Cullens in a string of inexplicable events.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I know I've been absent for a while, but I figure another spin on an old story might bring me back to life. Please review.**

* * *

The gleaming white robes clung tightly to the woman thin figure as the lashing rain continued pelting down, leaving most humans running for cover – their fragile human bodies unable to withstand the chill of the October rain.

The woman's steps were quick, and agile – a hurried and frantic movement, but it still oozed a timeless grace far beyond her young exterior. The humans stared as the pale figure passed by, a common occurrence in the large city of Chicago, but this – this was different. There was something about the woman which just didn't up. Her skin, the pale colour of snow, didn't match the other humans' tanned, bronze faces, a reminder of the hot summer which had just passed.

An old beggar looked up from her position against the cool damp corner, just under the shelter of a bank's roof – the only protection she had from the harsh rain which continued to lash. As her eye caught the young woman's, a small smile spread across her face, remembering the few happy experiences which had occurred in her life.

The woman in the white robe shifted her vision to stare at the old baker, who quickly decided he should allow the beggar some shelter in his shop. He didn't get much customers, and perhaps it would be nice for a decent chat. It was true, she was beautiful.

As the woman continued to walk, several other unusual occurrences took place, significant events which would change people's lives forever. A sly smirk spread across her face at the thought of how easily humans were manipulated and she grinned at her own power, but she had other, more important matters to deal with today, and she would not let her sister get there before her.

Her robes billowed behind her, in the wind, as she sprinted forward, increasing her long strides so she could get to her destination quicker. She could sense in her mind that her sister was close by, and She would not win this one. The woman in the white cloak maintained that she was the best of the duo.

No light came without darkness; no coin had only one side.

The woman snorted quietly, truly believing her life would be a lot less hellish without her sister, not that she couldn't cause harm herself …

She skidded to a halt at the front of a shabby, tilted house. She was late, running out of time and she needed to move quickly. A white aura surrounded her as she closed her eyes, which did not open again until a painful cry came from above, and much gasping as a drowning two year-old child filled his lungs with much needed oxygen, he had been deprived of for the last few minutes.

"I guess I'm late." A blunt voice from beside her stated, twisting her brown hair around her finger resentfully. "I got caught up making sure the receptionist was a meal – the Volturi didn't see me of course. Don't worry sis'."

"Disappointed actually – work on the empathy sis'." She snorted sarcastically. "I just figured Father wouldn't be too pleased if you messed up, maybe you'd go into Exile for a years, do us all a favour." A slow smirk spread across her face slyly.

An identical one spread across her sister's, looking strangely out of place on such an angelic person. "Because you've never experience Exile before, have you Bella?" She smiled sweetly. "_Never_?"

"Shut up, now." A warning tone crept into her voice, and her sister kept quiet for a moment. "You'll take care of Elizabeth, won't you, Jane? I think I might find myself busy … if something were to harm her, I might now be able to stop it." Bella shared a small smile with the sister she claimed to hate.

"Sounds almost like your becoming dark."

Bella grinned as Jane glanced up at Elizabeth and her son. The battlefield was clear, and she was always one for a war.

"So I'll see you in fifteen years, Bitch. That's when I'll get my revenge for tonight. I doubt you'll win next time." Jane smirked, extending a hand.

"Fifteen years, Jackass. You can have the mother and the father, but I want the son." Bella smirked, shaking Jane's extended hand, before pulling her sister into a hug. "I have to admit, I did miss my evil twin."

"We'll see Bella. I find the son has a certain … potential that I find appealing." Jane grinned, having no intention of letting the son slip through her fingers. "You know," she said, as Bella broke away from their embrace, "you Light really are too soft."

"I'll see you in fifteen, and I want that agreement stuck to." Bella smiled, her eyes shining with tears that would never fall.

"Relax Bells – it will be like a second for us, and as for the agreement, since when have I been the most trustful person you know?" She joked, but her eyes also shone with tears.

The two sisters stood, one tall, one small, silently trying to express their feelings without lowering themselves. They knew, however, that they would never be able to do it – being far too proud for anything so lowering - and unnoticed by any of the humans, they faded away.

15 years later

The sharp stench of decaying bodies met her nostrils, a disgusting smell, made even worse by the sickeningly sweet smell that accompanied it – vampire. Jane had played it out well, one of her own creation - even one she loathed for going against its instinct - was within the walls of the hospital.

Bella stared down distastefully as her foot collided with a dead body, before shaking it off – it was not for her to worry about and she feared she was already late. Too late.

The long narrow hallways were filled with chaos, nurses and doctors screaming for support as understaffed work force tried desperately to help all they could, but everywhere she looked, all Bella could see were doctors calling the time of death, the patients too far gone for even her to recover. She attempted to help the others, to make the doctors immune to the disease, but she had no time to stop – a more important life was on the line.

Her powerful eyes stared at the grime and blood along the hospital's less than sterile environment as she continued to walk towards the room 101. She quickened her pace as she smelt Jane in the air, sprinting quickly, despite a nurse's protests.

Jane was outside, grinning happily as Bella speeded in to find the room empty. "You did it then."

"Yes. I told you I'd win this time." Jane grinned, an unusual occurrence reserved only for when she defeated Bella.

Bella glared, "I told you not to. This was important."

"I know." Her expression changed to a sombre one. "But you know how much Father has been pressuring me. I needed to do a good one." And as much as she hated to admit it, Bella had been doing worryingly well on her side of the 'family buisness'. "The world can't all be filled with cheesy happiness, Bella."

"It can't all be filled with gore either, but I get it Jackass." Bella smirked, "I will make a right of your wrong, however."

"Try me." Jane winked, glancing in at the empty hospital room. "I am sorry about him, but he'll be happy eventually."

"You reckon? I've been watching him since he was a baby, and he doesn't seem like the vampire type. Dark and brooding – he'll blame himself for what he does. Vegetarian if I ever saw one."

"Its true – I doubt he'll even need your assistance to do it. Aro won't be pleased that there is another, especially with what his gift will be." She remarked resentfully thinking that her handy-work would go to waste if he did indeed hit the vegetarian bandwagon.

"True. How long will it be this time?" Bella didn't specify what she was asking, Jane knew.

"I actually … don't know." Jane glanced up, uncertain for once in her life, of when she would see her sister.

"Do you reckon … his dark years?"

"When he starts drinking from humans? Maybe …" She mused. "If not, I'll just wreak some other havoc on a human to bring us together."

"I'll make some cheesy holiday. How would you like another Christmas, Jane?" Bella asked mockingly, knowing her sister's hate of anything remotely joyful.

"What? Like you made Thanksgiving last time we hadn't talked for a while? Wasn't quite the sisterly reunion I would have liked – a little too smug, weren't you?"

"What about Bella's Day?" She joked smugly, before evaporating into the air.

"Oh you'd better hope you don't, little Bastard." Jane said to the empty air before evaporating herself.

10 years later

"He won't do it again." Jane mused to her sister as they stood in the shadows watching as Edward, the vampire with no last name, let out screeches of rage, punching everything in sight.

"No. He saw the look in her eyes. I don't think he would ever be able to do it again." Her sister agreed, her traditional white robes standing out in the darkness of the forest.

"I think we really need to find a new fixation. Its getting quite tiring mopping up after him."

"Indeed. He would have made a great human though," she fixed her sister with a harsh glare.

"It had to be done." She frowned, staring as the vampire stood, panting for unnecessary breath as he looked at the damage he had inflicted upon the forest.

"I think we had better go – he'll see us if we remain."

Once again, the two sisters faded into the darkness, leaving the vampire to remorse his wrong doings.

100 years later

"So, Forks?" Jane's sceptical tone echoed over the phone. Technology had increased since they had last spoken, and it took no effort to trace her sister's number after she heard of Bella's new outrageous plan. "With the _humans_? Father was joking, right?"

"I'm bored, and I wanted a change in scenery. Besides, I kind of felt like unleashing some torment, and who do we know who owes us a life debt?"

"Edward? You're going to torment a family of vampires? What can I say, you dirty Bastard, you truly are my sister."

"Love you too, Jackass."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey, so I got a chance to reply to some of the reviews, but not all of them so I'd just like to thank anyone who reviewed the last time and I swear I'll do my best to respond this time. I'd really like to thank all the people who have congratulated me for coming back, and I'm really happy you guys all stuck with me. **

**Not dead yet, and hopefully not soon.**

**I'm thinking weekly updates, or I'll try to do it sooner, but this week has been slightly chaotic for me with stuff happening that hadn't yet been fixed or anticipated. **

**Sorry, if that annoyed you guys for not updating, but I still had to sort out some stuff.**

* * *

Bella Swan was determined to be a complete and utter bitch.

Despite what her sister believed, Bella was perfectly aware of the fact that she had never been a bitch in her entire, admittedly long life. She knew it was unethical, mean and cruel. That it would go against her nature, and it would be the exact opposite of what she was, and what she was trained to be. It was against her species.

But she was determined.

It was the only quality she and her sister shared, one that they had no doubt inherited from their father; a man who could never be swayed, one who stood firm in any decision he made. Their strong minds, extreme pride and fearless determination shaped them into the creatures they were together: _no light is cast without darkness, no coin has only one side._

And if this particular decision called for a particular edge Bella had never quite possessed then she would learn. She had spent far too much time following around the Cullens waiting for them to make another mistake, and when her Father had planted her within Forks High school, as a closer lookout, it would be an understatement to say she was less than pleased.

It had been a hundred and ten years, perhaps it wasn't the longest time to her, but Bella Swan had had enough of the repeatedly reckless family and their annoying habit of getting into danger. So she herself would wreak havoc upon them, revenge for the years she could have spent otherwise, on families that would actually die.

And to add to it, Jane was particularly amused by the situation, her sister currently taking her leave, and although Bella was more than happy to contribute to both sides of the family business, especially for their Cullen friends, she did not appreciate her sister watching her.

Angrily, she slammed the door closed of her car, a less than flashy substitute she had chosen, but one that would satisfy her thirst for the speed she had grown fond of. Who knew humans could actually do something right without a helping hand?

A few stares followed her to her short journey to the student office, the number increasing with each step she took, and the more people arriving at the school. Finally, she pulled open the rusted handle to the shabby building where a young woman chewing pink bubblegum nosily turned over a page of a tabloid newspaper, the name stated proudly in bold: _Forks_. How appealing.

Clearing her throat noisily, the receptionist looked up, "'Ello. Your the new student, aren't yeh? Isah-Bella Swan? I've got yeh stuff righ' 'ere, if yeh'll just bare with me a wee sec'." She rummaged in a drawer, before pulling out a time table, popping another strawberry bubble as she did so. The muddy brown eyes were raised to meet Bella's

Car crash, three years old … New foster parents … A strange feeling: happiness ... a bubble of laughter echoing from her mouth for the first time since her parents died … Passing college … A new boyfriend … a good job …

The receptionist was saying something, Bella looked up, though she hated to admit it, slightly flustered by the quick flash of images that had caught her off guard, staring at the young receptionist with a new found respect. Clearly, Jane had had her hands full with this case, just waiting to be discovered by Bella. That was why she was so annoyed by the Cullen: cases like these when she should have been there.

The receptionist looked up again, and Bella smiled warmly – that would do it. To make up for when she had been … absent.

"... So, do you understand? Or should I go through it one more time?" She smiled, chewing her bubblegum thoughtfully as a warm feeling spread through her stomach. Something good was going to happen – she was sure of it.

"No, I'm good." Bella said, reaching out for the schedule and glancing across it. Junior classes – Bella stared distastefully, "Uh, actually … I think you'll find that in Alaska I was attending senior level classes in all my subjects. I have my transcript here." She handed the receptionist the thin folder, containing her new identity: Isabella Swan, a feeble, and clumsy human with a tendency to blush.

"Yes … That error will have to be corrected." She blew another bubble thoughtfully as she clumsily typed on an ancient computer. "Oh no … Uh … Mrs Cope! I need you for a sec'." The girl inserted a fresh stick of gum into her mouth, "Want any?"

"No thanks," eyeing the sticky material warily, Bella took a seat, ready for the long wait and endless questions on exactly what she had done in Alaska in her classes.

It was as she sat down and the aforementioned Mrs Cope hurried in looking flustered that Bella smelt it.

Vampire.

* * *

The five Cullen children stepped out of their car, glancing at the student office, where the entire human body was watching a girl walk in. Alice looked up at Edward, "Did you know that there was a new girl?" She asked, a slightly nervous tone creeping into her voice.

"No," Edward glanced around thoughtfully, ignoring the concerned looks he was receiving from his remaining family. "You would think I'd have heard something."

Jasper quickly calmed the rising bubble of concern in Alice's chest, and the doubt in her mind. "I'm sure you were just concentrating so hard on the nomads that you didn't check for a new student." He lowered his voice, "It doesn't matter anyway – I hardly doubt some human would affect us."

"Yeah," replied Alice, trying to convince herself Jasper was right. It was just there was something about her … the girl … the unexpected sight … No, she was probably just looking into things too much. Jasper was right, she'd been thinking about the nomads a lot, and not enough about Forks.

The corridors flooded with humans of all shapes and sizes as the warning bell sounded and the humans walked quickly to their destination. Bella herself, dawdled by, smirking at the humans' slightly flustered, pink faces as they pushed open doors with a sigh of relief that they weren't late.

It was interesting being in a school, where fresh humans she would no doubt meet later in life, were being taught the necessities in a world where few could survive without the helping hand Bella provided. Already, she could pinpoint a few stereotypes in her field: teenage mothers, drug addicts, abusers and the abusees.

Bella stepped into her home-room, an excuse on hand for why exactly she was late, applying her glamour so the humans would see only a puffed new girl, albeit a rather extraordinarily beautiful one. The teacher looked up, startled by the interruption, clearly half way through calling role. Inspecting Bella through thick glasses, the man quickly decided for this girl he could make an exception.

"And, here class, is our new student, Miss Isabella Swan!" He told the class dramatically, raising his voice in a crescendo – he was after all, the drama teacher. The students clapped politely, admiring the new girl with interest. Unlike Bella, no one noticed the pale girl in the back of the class who looked distinctly unimpressed.

* * *

"Bella," the human corrected.

"Sorry?" The teacher asked in confusion, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his tone.

"My name," the girl shuddered. "I prefer to be called Bella."

So there she was, the famous Bella Swan – talked about by all the humans, and clearly the capturer of all the boys affections. She wasn't even that pretty, Rosalie thought angrily. Just an average little brunette girl, who was strangely pale and blushed far too much. Even now, her cheeks were a tantalizing red, as if trying to provoke the already willing vampire.

Rose glared as the human smiled shyly at the humans, raising her hand awkwardly to touch her ugly common hair and angrily correcting the teacher using a hoarse ugly voice with irritation when he called 'Bella' her full name. Did she expect all of the teachers to research her background before she came here? Would she be annoyed if the cafeteria workers didn't have her favourite meal prepared for her at lunch? Would she be angry that there was no black limousine waiting for her at the front of the school?

The vampire scoffed as she watched 'Bella' walk towards an empty seat, ignoring Mike Newton's frantic movements to clear his things off the spare desk beside him. Her irritation only worsened when she noticed the human walking steadily towards her, unblinking, unfearing and looking completely unbothered and uncaring at the ice-cold glare Rose was giving her, the harshest one she had.

With a thud, books landed next to her. And then pens. A heavy bag soon followed, landing heavily on the floor. And, next to it, stood a human who smiled warmly, "I hope you don't mind." An innocent expression crept onto her face, "I've never been to a such a small school before, so this is such a new experience for me."

She blinked, showing off a sluggish pair of eyes, and without waiting for a response, or any sign of permission from Rose, pulled out a chair and plunked herself down – rather ungraciously, even for an annoying teenager like her – and fluffed out her hair, as if trying to be as annoying as possible for the vampire next to her.

A wave of fragrance met her nostrils, and she shuddered away from the aroma rising quick and fast to her nostrils.

"Do you reckon I suit this style? I mean, I always used to wear my hair straight in Alaska, but I figured, you know, maybe a nice change for a new place? Do you get what I'm saying ..."

'Bella' continued talking, the persistent babbling, while the ice-queen questioned whether she had ever given any indication that she wanted to be friends with the girl next to her. Or did the Lords just hate her?

* * *

**AN: Hey, I understand you guys might be thinking – Bella can't act human. She can't blush. She can't have a human scent, or a heartbeat and all that crap that comes with being a human, but Bella can create a kind of glamour around her that will make the people around her believe she is human, kind of like putting images into people's heads, if you get what I mean. As for the flash of images, that's a secret that will be revealed later.**

**So, I know this is really like a short-short chapter and for the next one, I swear it'll be longer and all but I figured you know, might as well just get it out and start the next chapter rather than ruining the plan and fitting in bits from the next chapter into this one, which would just completely mess the whole thing up. **

**I know it may be a tad short, but if you gave me more reviews, I swear I'll make the next one REALLY long. Like actually, I'll combine two and three for an extra-mega chapter. And sorry that this is like, a giant AN.**

**So all I can say is …**

**REVIEW!!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey, thanks for all of the reviews. **

**I know its been a while since my last update, but I wasn't that sure how I wanted to write this chapter, and it is probably a little bit confusing ... I know it kind of jumps around a little from person to person, but I kind of like this chapter. I think its my favourite so far, so ... tell me what you think!**

**And can some of the lurkers on story alert review pretty please? I just kind of want to know what you guys think of this, and whether you want it a little bit more like the old one, or if you like where I'm going with this? Or if you haven't read the old one, and just like this one???? Or hate it? I don't mind - just a review would be cool!**

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Alice Cullen sat behind her desk, rigid and stone in appearance; living up to the expectations of her kind. The only movement was the steady falling and rising of her chest, but was quickly replaced by the light drumming of her fingers against the rough wooden desk. Her other hand tightly clenched the plastic chair, only to break through the hard material.

She ignored this however, not caring that in the next class a student would see the finger-like imprint on the chair, and would tell the teacher of it – something which was not in her families best interests. No. She clenched her fingers together into a tight fist – they would not be able to trace it back to her.

Instead, her mind had wondered away from the teacher's monotone lecture on what was to be expected of them now they were juniors - a speech he had made repeatedly each year to each and every class he taught on their first day – and were facing a demanding year he had carefully constructed and planned to each minute detail, solely to separate those who would succeed in his class, and who wouldn't.

Her mind left the classroom entirely, wondering away from the hallways of Forks High School as she tried in vain to accurately remember her human memories. Several blurred, hardly legible images flashed across her eyes in a slow sequence as her brain attempted to think back several decades.

It was failing miserably, all she could see was indistinct shapes moving around in a dull swirl of motion. A flash of brown met her eye before it faded away in the background. A few more times she saw it, along with a pair of brown eyes before it faded away. This brown flash seemed to be a recurring thing in her memories, and she was unsure who or what it was.

Alice felt a light probing sensation in her mind, before it was quickly extracted. It was an unspoken code between Edward and their family that he would not look through their private memories, in particular those of their human life.

With a last attempt for Alice to see the memories clearly, she gave up, but her mind was still a million miles away from the lecture the teacher was currently giving.

She just couldn't understand what was happening.

Throughout her life, Alice had constantly felt as though she was being watched. A few times she had felt a strong sense of power radiating off a corner but there had been no one there when she looked. When she tried to look for the person, both normally, and with her gift, she had failed. A white block had come up with it, while she heard a musical voice laughing. Sometimes two.

But today was something else, something different that she had never experienced before. The feeling of a presence hanging over her shoulder had increased, to the point she had been constantly looking over her shoulder, half scared of whether she would see something, but an over-whelming desire to know what was happening came over her.

She had sniffed the air, and found nothing.

She had listened, and heard nothing.

She had Seen, and saw nothing.

Perhaps it was because it wouldn't affect her that she couldn't see the presence. It was true, after all, that normally her visions showed only what would affect her, or her loved ones. Perhaps that was why. But then again, if the person – or people, Alice corrected, thinking of the second, more sinister voice that occasionally joined the first – was not important, nor would affect her, how come she felt this way? Surely, whoever she or they were, her fate was affected by their decision.

Unless … they had not actively made the decision to follow her?

* * *

Jasper paused in annoyance, raising a pale marble hand to rub his temple soothingly. His hair was on end from the workout, and around him he could several sweaty human bodies. His nostrils flared in disgust of the change of scent in the air around him as he inhaled the stench of the young teenagers. With a final sniff, he stopped breathing entirely.

He had frozen, allowing the humans to run on ahead of him, their tired limbs working overtime as they struggled not to be last. The gym coach glared at him as he stopped in his tracks, opening his mouth to tell him off, before he noticed Jasper's own intimidating stare, daring him to comment. With a brisk nod, the greying man jogged on, hurrying to catch up with the other students.

The man was scared of him, tinted with hints of annoyance but he was intimidated by the young vampire. He felt troubled by something else, though Jasper couldn't quite place it, and hints of exhaustion came through in his emotions – most likely from lack of sleep, judging by the dark circles under his eyes. The teacher felt old and self-conscious, though was lusting after someone, most likely a student and felt traitorous, presumably to his wife judging by his ringed finger.

It was his power, though perhaps not as intense as Edward's, nor as useful as Alice's that allowed him to know how the people around felt. It was underestimated and taken for granted by his family because of his siblings other, stronger gifts. But he himself, felt it was worthwhile knowing exactly how people were feeling. Edward's could be avoided by a person focusing their mind on one topic, a repeated mantra if you will. Alice could be thwarted if a person was undecided, or made an instinct decision, but never in his years had he come across someone who was not affected by his gift.

But this did not mean he wasn't sometimes annoyed by it.

From the PE hall he was currently standing in, he could feel Alice's annoyance and confusion radiating off her in waves, tinted with impatience and pain. And with those emotions radiating into his system, he couldn't help the howl of pain that erupted from himself. He could Edward peeking into his mind, gathering information from his breakdown, and he couldn't help the mental growl that was caused by the intrusion: _GET OUT._

Within his family, it was well known that he was the pacifist, however he couldn't help the scream from his lips when Edward entered his mind, and continued to poke through it despite his insistence. It was at times like this he hated his brother for what his gift was, and how he used it at times of weakness. Though he said it was for safety, a caution, Jasper himself felt it was unnecessarily intrusive on his private thoughts.

Focusing on a mantra, mainly consisting of: _Get out! Get out! Get fucking out! _He continued it up until he felt Edward retreat from his thoughts, which didn't take long once Edward realised he wouldn't stop the mantra until he left.

Allowing his thoughts to flow out from his brain, including those he had kept hidden in the back of his mind for so long, he couldn't help but allow the howl of pain to erupt from his lips.

* * *

Rosalie glared at the humans around her, as if it was their fault that she had to endure her own mundane existence. On instinct, she twirled a lock of golden hair around a long pale finger, pondering her life miserably. Her mind immediately fell on one human: the most annoying one of all.

Bella Swan.

The stupid ignorant human who clearly had no idea of the hardships some had to suffer because of her stupid species. She had no idea what people had to face each day because of her kind. No inkling of what had happened to her, and what she wasn't able to do.

She couldn't cry – she wasn't allowed the luxury of being able to let tears fall her eyes, and a million should have fallen for everything that had been done to her. Nor was she able to think or concentrate without acknowledging the permanent burning in her throat, a constant reminder of what she was sacrificing each day, just so that she could hold onto that last shred of humanity.

And the biggest pain came with being unable to bear Emmett's child. To be unable to have a baby girl and show her the way society worked. To find her the perfect husband, and to teach her how to tell the difference between the Emmetts of the world and the Royces.

But the worst thing was the fact that every day since she had been created, she had been forced to watch humans neglect to realise exactly what they had. How they had failed to notice what they could do, and what she couldn't. That when she moved to a new school, she was forced to remain distant and cold. How they could notice someone was nice, that they had similar interests and could become friends with them, while she had was unable to get close to anyone except her kind. It was the fact that their lives constantly changed, while her's stayed permanently the same, a repeated sequence that would stay the same forever. How she had been forced to change from the young innocent girl who wanted nothing more than a family.

This was how the Ice-Queen had been formed.

* * *

Emmett sighed as he lifted the metal tongs to drop the magnesium into the acid – an experiment he had performed a thousand times over. The teacher lectured dully about the effects, and the chemical reaction this was giving off. She was dull, boring and seriously uninformed.

Tiredly, he reached to take off the mandatory safety goggles from his eyes, and lifted them to perch on the top of his head. If he was human, he was sure he would be yawning.

As a vampire it was unusual, if not completely unnatural for them to feel tired. Stressed, panicked – all of those were occasional, though much more intense than a normal human's. But it was normal. However Emmett could not remember ever feeling tired as a vampire, nor could he remember anyone of his species ever saying they were.

He glanced around at his 'peers' wondering how they coped with it. Some looked like they were half-asleep, barely coping with the early hours school started. Dark circles were under several humans' eyes. Others were yawning into the back of their hands. And one out of twenty was wide awake.

Emmett glanced into the front of the class where the new student sat, _Bella Swan_.

* * *

In the darkest corner of the cafeteria sat a pale family, away from the windows which would make their skin sparkle like diamonds and reveal their existence to the entire Forks' student body. The family had five people in total, four of which looking like they were facing the worst day of their life.

One was smiling as he swept his power along his year, listening to their every thought while they remained none the wiser. Common issues swept across the front of their minds – acne, make-up, allowance – and it was these he swept past. Other minds had more interesting, complex things to worry about – abuse, a tearful breakup, the death member – and here it was where he spent more time listening to their thoughts.

Edward grinned as he listened to one particular sob-story, and happy with today's gossip he was about to turn away and tune into his family's minds when he heard a name repeated in dozens of human's minds: Bella Swan.

His gaze swept along the student body, searching for the human who matched the face Jessica Stanley had provided as she angrily thought of how much attention she was getting.

Sitting at a table by herself, a young beautiful girl sat with her long brown hair cascading in ripples down her back. Her skin from what he could see was unnaturally pale, almost to the degree his own kind was. Considering she must have grown up in a place with little sunlight, he delved into her mind only to recoil in shock.

He felt nothing.

* * *

Esme stared out of the window of her gently lit precious greenhouse. Rain was pelting down from the heavens, thunder and lighting following it in quick bursts. A loud grumbling rippled throughout Forks, and seconds later, a streak of light flashed through the sky. Esme frowned as prodded a plant carefully with her fingertips before reaching for the watering can – the thunder was near.

In her life she had experienced much happiness and she was perfectly content with her life and Carlisle and her children. Her children. She protected them with a fierce motherly instinct, and she could honestly say she was pleased in life, despite what she was.

But today, something felt different … something was wrong, and she couldn't help but delve back into the memories of her past life. Before she had found her children, before she was a vampire. She remember her human life, the blurred images flashing across her eyes.

Back when it had been simple, when there was a beginning, a middle, and an end.

* * *

Carlisle stood in the middle of the hospital, looking around at the empty wing. No patients remained in the Intensive Care Unit, the ICU, where thirteen had been at 11:59 the day before. The first patient, a victim from a hit and run, crashed at precisely one second past midnight. It was as if she had been waiting until that moment. It was as if she wanted to hold on for one more day.

He glanced down, frowning at a bed which remained covered in blood from the stabbed victim whose stitches had broken. His gaze fell onto the bed where the man who had just came out of a liver transplant had been, before his blood had clotted and he passed at 1:39am.

He rubbed at his eyes wearily as he stood in the empty wing, once full of people, now still in a ghostly silence in the white hospital. The blood on the sheets remained a reminder of what had happened.

His beeper went, his break would be over in one minute, and he had a lot of paperwork to fill out. With one last glance of the empty room, the clock struck 5:30. His beeper went once more, an ambulance was coming in from a car crash, and they were expecting multiple casualties.

He sighed: a new game had just begone.

* * *

Bella sat cross legged on the floor of her home, back to back with her sister. A school bag lay forgotten on the cool wooden floor, shining in the light of the flames dancing in the fireplace. A spark flew out, but the sisters took no notice of it.

Instead, they leaned against each other's cool backs, finding comfort in their closeness as each stared off in the distance, neither speaking or acknowledging the other's presence except to occasionally stroke the other's hand in comfort. Their expressions were mournful, eyes brimming with tears that would never fall as they looked out of the windows of either side of the warm room. One window stared out into the beautiful garden, while the other looked into a forest filled with poison ivy and thorned hedges.

A old man sat at the foot of the bed, stroking a long beard as he stared at the two young girls. They not look back, or meet his contemplating gaze and, as minutes became hours, his hard stare changed into a rare satisfied smile.

"Happy Birthday," he whispered into the silence.

* * *

**AN: I was wondering, apart from what you think of it ...**

**WHAT DO YOU WANT THE PAIRING TO BE?**

**Just wondering, figured that would get your attention lol. But I know some people wanted a slash but ... I dunno, what do you guys think?**

**If you review, I just go with your idea ...**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey, sorry for the long wait. I was feeling kinda funny for a while, and I got a bit sick. So I was pretty disorientated so unless you guys wanted a chapter full of complete nonsense .. Anyway, I'm not all that sure this isn't one of complete nonsense either, but I'm feeling better so I reckon it was worth a shot.**

**And I'm off for Christmas holidays! I don't think I've ever been this happy to have a few weeks off school :) And its snowing here! It never snows here!**

**Its kind of made me a little hyper. And I just had coffee. With sugar. And its never a good combination, plus its pretty late here so …**

**Without further ado, whatever chapter this is ...**

* * *

In the middle of the forest clearing, illuminated by the full moon, a young girl came from nowhere. She was dressed in a black robe, from her head to her toe – the only visible skin was a pale hands black eyes, barely seen through the lowered hood. The girl slowly licked her crimson lips in a slow flirtatious manor, though there was no one there who could see it.

A soft clapping erupted behind the young girl, as she began tapping her foot against a tree log. Musical enticing laughter followed the gesture, as a melodious voice commented lightly, "My, my – are we so needy to flirt with one's sister?"

Still, no one appeared and the voice gave no evidence of from where she was speaking, but the black-robed girl did not move, instead replying steadily, "Needy enough that you called this meeting?"

Still, the girl did not turn and her sister did not make an appearance, but the musical voice spoke once more, "You know what happens to us this time of year." Her voice was full of contempt, and she made no effort to conceal the sharp snapping tone of her voice. "I envy the humans their peace."

The hooded girl in the centre laughed – a harsh melodic tune. It different than her sister's, but the same. It bore more wisdom, this girl had experienced more than the other - it was one of a mourner.

The hooded girl made no effort to move when she felt cool breath trickling her neck, though she would assure herself she could have if she had so wanted to. In the blink of an eye, their was a smaller woman behind her, dressed all in white and she too was covered from head to toe, only a pair of pale hands peeking out from her end of her robes and gleaming white eyes.

"You envy the humans?"

"Yes," the new woman nodded into her neck. "It would be nice to be ignorant."

"And I thought you could fall no further." The black smiled wickedly, before sitting down on a tree stump. "Why was it you wanted to see me, Sister?" She grinned smugly, "Miss me that much?"

The white glared back, an expression so full of hate that it would have made the strongest vampire flinch back. Her sister however, merely chuckled – she was no mere vampire. "Who was it that called who before now?" The smaller woman was speaking now, her white robe rippling in the wind. "I do recall someone was worried about their fate?"

Her sister's chuckle faded, replaced with an indifferent expression though her eyes gleamed with unsaid threats. "I'm sure Father would be pleased to hear you're interfering with my mission. You remember Exile of course, Sister? I believe you've been there more times than I."

"And do you remember my glorious … acquaintance, Sister? The one who loves you? Although, there are many in love with a Light-Bitch like you, huh?"

The taller girl looked down at her smaller, petite sister. A flicker of emotion crossed her face, before it was quickly hidden by a mask of indifference. "Father always said you were the nice one in the family."

"Yeah, and he was right. You're pretty cruel for what you're job is. Double-crossing bitch."

"Well for someone who's meant to be dealing with Hell, you're a little too lovey-dovey aren't you, Sis'?"

The small one looked up, as the taller sister looked down and together they enjoyed a sentimental moment the way only two sisters of mutual understanding can. That was until a branch they were standing under broke and fell on the top of their heads. Naturally, it split in two.

The smaller one grinned down at the shattered branch, as the black robed let out a low whistle at the sky. "Father sends his love," she remarked quietly. Another branch fell – bigger this time. "Or maybe not ..." The white winked. Another branch fell as they embraced in a hug, white thunder cackled nearby. "I told you he wouldn't be happy you're here." The black remarked, looking slightly pained.

They gazed around at the small clearing, "This will all be ruined by tomorrow."

"True, but I'm going to do my best to make sure the future won't turn out the way you think it will."

"In your dreams."

"Fuck off, Jane."

"Oh – Bella swears."

"Fuck off."

"Oh are you huffing with me?"

"Jane, get the hell off my robe!"

"Ow! You'd better not have just fucking hit me, you fucking bitch!

Harsh laughter followed, before the black cloaked figure disappeared. The white stared after, her hand clenched in fist around frozen air. Manical laughter escaped from her lips, "You'd better hope I don't find you."

* * *

Rose lay against the soft mattress, her skin sparkling against the dim light coming through the shutters. She raised a shining hand to pull her hair out of the messy pony-tail it had been in while she hunted, and licked away the trickle of blood still on her lips.

She flicked through the magazine Alice had left on her bed, not particularly caring about 'Lady Gaga's latest outrageous outfit' nor how 'Cheryl can't handle the pressure'. The badly-worded trash didn't appeal to her, and she wondered how humanity had fallen if this was what made the news. She herself could think of several scandals, though hushed up back in her day, that would have blown away the humans' simple minds. A low sigh fell across her lips as she threw her magazine across the room. It landed with a dull thud as it ricocheted off the side of the rubbish bin.

Score.

No matter how much she tried, her mind kept on going back to the stupid ugly human girl with the bushy brown hair that sat next to her first period. Rose felt rather disgusted with herself for even thinking about a human, especially one such as Isabella Swan. She smirked at how she was using her full name – how do you like that Swan?

If Edward had been listening, like he usually did, he would have snorted at how sad his younger sibling was.

There was something about her that made her wonder. Something that made her feel like she knew her. And it was this weakness, this small power that human – though her tiny brain was probably unaware of it - that made her hate her even more. Imagine – a human with the upper hand over a vampire. The Volturi would laugh their asses off. And then kill her.

Mentally, she ran through her memories. They were fuzzy and blurred. She skipped over the less happy ones – which unfortunately seemed to be the ones she remembered most clearly, after replaying them in her head for about a year after she had just been created out of horror, they seemed to have been burned into her skull – and tried to look through the less clear ones.

There was very few, but in several she caught a flash of brown hair. Kind of like Swan's.

A idea struck through her head, and she wondered the possibility. It had to be one in a million. If the brown haired girl in her memory had a child. If the child of the brown haired girl had another child. If that child had brown hair exactly – exactly being the same colour and texture which Rosalie strangely remembered clearly – like her grandmother's. If the child, or the child's mother had moved to Forks .

She shook her head – it was one in a million. And she highly doubted it was true, after all the Swan name didn't sound familiar.

Despite herself, she tried to think what she had heard about the girl's parents. Very little was known, after all she seemed to isolate herself almost like … well her. Rose couldn't help thinking that the girl sat by herself, like she did. Rather stupidly, she didn't eat, like Rose didn't. Judging from the fact she seemed to be in advanced classes, though still a junior, she was smart, like – Rose complimented herself – she was.

If Emmett hadn't come in without a shirt on at that exact moment, perhaps Rose would have made the connection that the human girl she hated wasn't quite human.

* * *

A young vampire stood in the centre of a clearing, looking for all its worth the victim-turned-savage of a classic horror movie. The trees around him had been uprooted, and carcasses of dead animals littered the ground, all centring around one being.

His legs were crouched into an instinctive defensive stance, and his eyes flickered around him constantly, trying to detect the tiniest flicker of movement in the forest. His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply and his eyelids fluttered in concentration, trying to identify a scent. His denim jeans had several large holes along the legs, revealing the crimson liquid running down his pale limb. The sleeve of his T-shirt had been torn off, and he stood with one shoe on – the other lying several feet away with unmistakable bite marks along the heel.

But despite the carnage around him, there was only one thought running through his mind; his wife was going to murder him.

And as he stood there covered in blood which slightly disburbingly was not his own, he pricked his ears and listened as a shrill scream was picked up his sensitive legendary hearing. He was positive it was his wife's, just as he was sure she had just had one of her own legendary visions of him coming home. Indeed, from the direction of the Cullen house Jasper found – pushing past what could be Emmett's childish excitement, Rosalie's smugness, Edward's borderline depressing emotions and Esme's clear calm emotions – he could feel what only could be described as shock, horror and complete and utter terror. Only increased a tenfold.

The only good thing Jasper summarised as he sped around, burying the animal's dead bodies and tore the uprooted trees to shreds, was that Carlisle wasn't home yet – it was one less being full of emotion that he had to bear.

This was his last thought before he ran back to the Cullen house. He forgot as he ran why he had been sniffing the air. He forgot when he arrived that been a problem to begin with. Over the next few days and weeks, he would not remember. And it would be a long time before his memory was triggered by one significant event, which only two sisters knew about. And one of them would do anything to stop it from happening.

* * *

**AN: So what? Good? Bad? Weird? Confusing?**

**I have to admit, I'm not too fond of this chapter but when I was sick I had a really wacky kind of wavelength of what to write and believe me you would think I was trying to be funny if I put it up. Bad thing was, I was trying my best to be serious.**

**I was wondering about the pairing too. Some people are leaning towards classic canon pairings, others want Jane/Bella and some are asking Bella/Jasper. Or Bella with someone else that I create. One reviewer made a good point that romance would interfere with the plot, but I think the romance would be a kind of side story to it, not the main thing. **

**So review please with who you want, and I'll see what I can do.**

**And tell me what you think of this chapter, but I still feel a little disorientated and wacky. So this might be a bit different from my other chapters which I wrote when I was aware.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey – uh, sorry it took so long. I've had a couple of stressing weeks, and I haven't really been sleeping well for while and I've been pretty sick too over the Christmas holidays. Isn't it really annoying how you get sick when you would have been off school anyway?**

**Well, basically this is the chapter – but I'm not all that sure when I'll be able to update again. I've got some personal issues I have to deal with and my exams are all happening in the next couple of weeks which means I have to buckle down and study. I'm gonna be finished them on the 22nd, but after that I have some other personal crap I have to do, so I think the next chapter won't really be out until next month unless miraculously I get no exams … **

**Which isn't all that likely what with the strictness of my school …**

**So anyway … here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Rosalie carefully smoothed down her fringe, hiding behind her pale blonde hair as she surveyed the human sitting beside her. The one who bore an uncanny resemblance to the woman in her memories. Well – at least her hair did.

Slightly angered at the fact her past life had driven her to spy on a human, and one so below her, she glared through her lashes and hair at the human sitting next to her.

Bella Swan sat rigidly straight – chin up, stomach pulled in, shoulders back, eyes forward. Almost, Rosalie laughed to herself, as if she had just stepped out from one of her etiquette lessons back when she had been human. If she was breathing – though Rosalie chided herself, obviously she was – you couldn't tell. The only sound was the scratching of her pen on paper as Bella took notes in an outdated fashion, her penmanship the calligraphy of centuries past.

Indeed, Rosalie was sure, her old tutors would be turning in their graves to see this girl now.

Unlike the other humans in the class, Bella merely sat stiffly and took notes. Occasionally she glanced up at the teacher to scowl when he said something she didn't agree with? Imagine, the human believed she was smarter than the teacher. Rosalie could not believe her misfortune; first home-room with eh girl – now English?

Yet she could not stop staring at her. Something about her that made Rosalie want to get to know her. Something that made her feel like she knew her before. Something -

"Can you please stop staring at me, Rose?" She muttered, not bothering to turn her head from where she was looking out the window. Still her penmanship did not falter.

"Its Rosalie," a cool tone instantly crept into her voice.

"I know – I just like Rose better. Its less impersonal, wouldn't you agree?" The words stirred something in her mind, but she put it away to dwell on for later. After all, vampires couldn't sleep so she had plenty of time.

"I never said you could call me that. I like it being," she paused to lace the words with sarcasm, "'impersonal'."

Her eyes never left the teacher as she continued, "That's fairly anti-social of you, wouldn't you agree? I know a good therapist that may be able to help you with your problem." A cold tone crept into her voice, replacing the sweet innocent tone used previously.

"No thank you." Rosalie glared at her unmoving head, angered that the brunette had still not moved her head or met her eyes.

"Too bad then."

Rosalie glanced up for a second, her expression flickering into unknown territory for a moment before it resumed its regular position of the Ice-Queen. There was something about the girl, and those last three words. She said them in the context of their conversation, but they seemed to imply something else, something … more.

"Are you done staring about me?" She murmured, clicking her pen to close it as the teacher called the class to an end. There was a detached coldness in her voice that affected Rosalie far more than it should, the voice colder than hers would ever be.

Finally looking up at Rose's eyes as she swung her bag over her shoulder, she gave a harsh glare and left, leaving Rosalie stricken and panicked.

Her eyes were black.

* * *

Her face was half-hidden in the darkness of shadows as she made her way towards the furthest empty table from the Cullens, though Rosalie thought, it did not seem to bother Bella Swan as it would a normal human. Promptly slamming down her lunch tray onto the dusty table, she eyed it with great distaste before hastily scooting to the darker side of the table.

Bella showed no emotions apart from an occasional flicker of boredom while she lazily picked at her food, shredding her burger with her fingertips absent-mindedly and slowly dabbing her finger into the carton of raspberry yoghurt and gazing at it thoughtfully for a moment before wiping it on her napkin.

Once, her nostrils sharply inhaled and Bella closed her eyes for a moment, as if savouring it before slowly exhaling. It was the first time Rose had ever seen her breathing.

But not once, did Bella lift her head from the food she was slowly dissecting to look up, and this was what infuriated Rosalie most – Rosalie had to know she hadn't been hallucinating earlier. That this girl – this annoying human – had eyes that had really flashed black.

But of course, Rosalie was sure, there was most likely a medical condition which did that. Making a mental note to ask Edward about it, she resumed her stare at the table across the room.

And while Rosalie had been looking away, a small smirk spread across Bella Swan's face and slowly she lifted her face to stare coldly at Rosalie – all traces of a smirk gone. There was an emptiness in her eyes that scared Rosalie, and a raw hatred in her face that made the Ice-Queen shrink back in fear. But as Rosalie thought later in her bedroom, that hadn't been the worst thing.

Because Bella Swan's eyes were black once more.

In spite of herself, Rose couldn't help the cool shiver that crept up her spine as she watched the Swan girl angrily pick up her tray and toss the remains of food into the bin, oozing a timeless grace from centuries long forgotten. Without looking at Rose again, Bella Swan swept out from the room, leaving the vampire in shock.

Emmett glanced over at her for moment, an expression of concern crossing his face, "Are you okay, Rosie-Baby?" He asked, reaching a hand to slide up her leg.

Rosalie slapped his hand away as she gazed at the four vampires, "Did none of you just see that?" She asked, a shocked expression covering her face.

"What were we meant to be seeing, Rose?" Edward asked sarcastically. "Your deep obsession with the new girl?"

She glared up at him, glancing around at the other vampires for some support, "Come on, you guys had to have seen that, right?"

"Well, Rosie, I have absolutely no problem with some girl-on-girl action with you and the new girl - even if she is human – so long as I get to watch. Hey, baby, maybe we can share her?" He grinned up at her, a seductive smirk spread across his lips as he winked.

Alice smiled sweetly as a cool bitchy laugh came from her mouth. The kind of laugh girls used when they were being bitchy to each other but didn't want the boys to know about it.

Emmett lifted his hand once more to slide up her thigh, and hastily, she slapped it away. A resounding thud echoed around the cafeteria as their hands made contact. Humans glanced up as Emmett stared disbelievingly at his wife, "What the fuck?"

Only Jasper looked up at her, a concerned expression crossing his face as he stared at her, "Are you okay, Rose?"

"No."

* * *

Rosalie's lips curved upwards into a snarl, watching the humans file in obediently after the teacher, conversing about the trivial matters only human adolescents would consider important. Only one girl held back, refusing to speak to the boys attempting to gain her attention, nor acknowledge the whispered gossiping of her female peers.

Because Bella Swan – the annoying infuriating flabbergasting human – was texting someone on her state of the art phone, which Rosalie happened to know, wasn't available until next month. First of all – who the hell was she texting that was so important she wouldn't socialise with the other humans – and secondly – how on _earth_ had she gotten the phone?

The girl's phone buzzed, and her eyes flickered down to read the message, a little musical laugh falling from her lips before reading on and swiftly replying with long pale fingers.

Indeed, Rosalie was so caught up with this spectacle, that with all of her superior knowledge and traits, she did not hear footsteps coming towards her and stopping beside her, "You really are bothered by her, aren't you?" A low masculine voice murmured in her ear.

Abruptly, Rosalie was pulled from her train of thought to look up at Jasper studying her intensely. A small frown was spread across his forehead, and his eyes were tightened with worry as he read her emotions.

"I'm not bothered by her," Rose glanced up at his disapproving eyes, slightly defeated by the person who knew her best. "I'm just ..."

"You shouldn't get involved with humans – it won't end well for either party."

"Jasper," Rosalie sighed in annoyance, pinching her nose between her fingertips, "don't go all military and strict on me – okay? Its just, I feel like I know her, like I remember her or something ..." Her voice faltered, not sure how to voice what she was thinking, and afraid she had already said too much.

"You think – you think that you remember her? From," he lowered his tone, "your old life?" His honey eyes stared at her in concern.

"Yes!" I look at him, trying to gauge how crazy he thought I was from his expression, which now seemed to be on an emotional lockdown.

"First, I don't think you're crazy – strange, vane and a little creepy perhaps, but not crazy – well not mental. And second, up your self-esteem woman! I don't want to sound like one of the woman on Alice's magasines, but you totally need to, especially because its affecting _moi _because of my," he glanced around at the dawdling humans, "_thing_. I don't want to go home and have to stare in the mirror at my imperfections, okay?" Jasper grinned at me, and I knew this was him trying to make me feel better. A bubble of laughter escaped from my throat, before I looked up at him, serious once more.

"I think it could be serious, Jasper." She grimaced, staring at the girl who appeared to have ruined her already troubled life. And in her memories, she seemed like such a sweet girl, too. "I think we might be in trouble."

* * *

**AN: So … ta-da!**

**I know its not that long and stuff, but I've been stressed – and I hate the way I keep bringing it up, and you guys probably do too for bringing it up, but I think I'll be fine soon and I can stop leaving all these notes like this and just be kind of like leaving a note about something completely normal and light-harded like I have too much homework!**

**Anyway, I'll be back next month, or sooner if I can find any time, but fancy leaving a review even if you are a little angry at me? I don't really mind if its the most scathing hostile violent offensive review ever in human and animal history. As long as its a review, I don't really mind if you slag off the story … But I suppose it'd be nice if you say nice things too … I'll leave up to you – if you fancy a rant, or want to be complimentary, just click on the button … **

**Thanks for reading it.**

molly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's been a while. Some things were happening, and you know the rest, so I couldn't actually update 'cos I've been real busy.**

**There's a kind of lemon in this chapter after the second scene break – y'know the third scene so if you're a little bit … iffy about that, if you just kinda read the first line or two its pretty self explanatory :D **

**I'll probably be able to update a little bit more often though now because I'm off for summer so … that's good news – I hope :D So here.**

There is a point in every person's life when we look at someone we have known for years and wonder what they think of us. They might be a sister, a mother, a father or brother. Maybe they are a life-long friend or a partner. Regardless, we wonder – despite assurances otherwise – if they really love us, despite our flaws? Do they love us as a whole package, or only parts? We wonder if they like us for us – or if we are there as mere distractions, people to pass the time and keep up appearances.

* * *

Jasper Hale stood, alone in the bedroom he shared with his wife. There was rose petals leading a treasure trail from the door to the double bed, which had been made expertly in brand new Egyptian cotton sheets – just the way he knew Alice liked it. On the matching white night-stand were two champagne glasses, their pale pink colour doing little to disguise the contents within. But in a room shared by two vampires; quite honestly, what did you expect?

And Jasper Hale, dressed in a crisp black suit from Prada – his wife's favourite shop – held a small bad from Tiffany's in his hand. He paced around the room – quite slowly, considering the fact he was a vampire – muttering to himself. 'Alice, it's been fifty years since I met you, and I've got to say they they were the greatest in my life … no." He shook his head, 'too … cheesy. Alice Cullen, you have made me happy, whole – I love you … no, no … Um …

'Alice, I believe that we can do anything – anything at all – together. We could rule the world if we wanted to. I would worry – about war, and battle tactics – and you'd make everyone laugh. You know, you would pick the soldiers uniforms and they would hate you because they don't want to wear pink … but, then you would do your puppy dog eyes on them and they wouldn't care if they had to wear a matching pink hand-bag.

'I love the way you have the ability to make everyone love you. I love your smile, your face, your personality. I love that you made me whole again. I love you, Alice Brandon Cullen Hale. And I promise now, like I did at our wedding, that I'll love you forever.'

He smiled, thinking of all the brilliant times they had shared together, and as he glanced around the room, he saw the little things that told everyone Alice lived there. The Vogue magazines sitting on the floor beside her bed, the empty Gucci and Ralph Lauren bags sitting in various places around the room, the little tiny bottles of nail polish in every colour possible …

He grinned to himself – while he didn't deserve how brilliant Alice was in every way, he loved her. And he would love her always.

* * *

Edward grinned with his sister as they practised the art they had long ago perfected. They locked eyes with each other, their pupils dilating and the topaz of their eyes turning black with hunger and lust.

Edward advanced, a predator in the dark forest, and reached to remove his sister's shirt. In less than a second it was gone, and she looked at him, her eyes dark with lust. In reply, his hands stroked her perfect skin, at the curves in her body he had long ago spent hours studying and memorising.

His lips found her mouth, and they kissed slowly for a few seconds before his tongue met hers. All of a sudden, there was a change in speed, and he ripped of her bra, desperate. She groaned, almost like an animal, as he took her breast in his mouth and sucked, doing the same tot eh other. "God Alice,' he murmured, ' you don't know how long I've been wanting to do this today. I mean, you strut around that school in those teeny-weeny jeans and expect me to play it cool? I had a hard time hiding from Jasper."

Alice grinned at him, her sharp teeth gleaming in the night. 'Well … I can think of a way to repay you.' Her dark eyes mischievous as she tore off his shirt. Her hands slowly, tantalisingly moved to the belt of his trousers and she unbuckled it. She reached for the button and undid it, hearing Edward's groan as she pulled down his trousers unhurriedly, and allowed her hands to stroke every inch of his body, except the one area where he most wanted attention. Alice looked up at Edward, her dark eyes smoky with lust as he growled animalistically. 'What do you say?' She asked him, her voice low and seductive. 'Please, he begged. '

Is that all?' she asked. 'Is that all you want it? Jasper,' she bit out, her voice low and scathing, 'can do better than that. Will I will I go back to him? Would you like Edward?'

His eyes darkened angrily at the mention of Jasper, 'No!' He growled, his voice hateful, beofre his voice grew desperate once more,'Please suck me, Alice. Please. I want you to.'

She grinned, 'I suppose I could do that,' and bent down to do his will.

Pleasure filled moans filled the night as two lovers basked in forbidden love.

* * *

'Where were you?' Jasper asked softly as Alice entered the bedroom. Her mouth dropped slightly when she saw the flowers, the champagne classes, the Tiffany's bag. It was. She realised with a shock, her fiftieth anniversary. She wasn't cruel, she wasn't a bad wife; she knew it was coming up – just not … well, now. 'You said you were just going for a quick hunt. It's – it's been hours.'

Jasper looked at her, his topaz eyes so filled with love, but she could hurt mixed in as well. He was frowning, waiting for a reply, but she couldn't help a feeling bubbling in her chest of irritation. How could Jasper love her so much? So trustfully, so loyal, almost – she thought – like a puppy, following her around, year after year. Copying her choices, following her where she went. It was tiresome – she needed a real man, one who was able to love her without losing his personality while doing it. Someone like Edward.

He was frowning down, his thick eyebrows pulled together into one great line, but while Jasper was angry with her, his eyes still burned with love. Puppy dog love. He frowned deeper, and looked at her strangely. Shit. Jasper was waiting for a reply. 'I was hunting,' she assured him. 'There wasn't any good game nearby, so I had to go further into the forest.' She lied smoothly – it was not the first time Alice had done this.

He nodded, accepting the lie, but he kept frowning. The anger in his eyes was still there, and the hurt was becoming more pronounced. 'But it is our anniversary. You always hunt large game. Always go hunting for hours on end. Always. Could you not have settled for a small animal? Just for tonight?'

Fuck, Alice thought, he was getting more observant. She would need a new excuse soon. That was clear. Stealthily, she advanced towards him – glad she had rolled in mud to wipe Edward's scent from her – and placed her hand on her chest. Her dark eyes smouldering, Alice replied, 'I wanted to have lots of energy for tonight …'

But Jasper was backing away, shaking his head as realisation dawning in his topaz eyes, 'When you came in here and you saw this,' he gestured with his hand around the room, 'you felt a cocktail of five emotions. Know what they were?' He asked, his eyes appraising Alice who gulped nervously. You see at first, I wasn't sure I was reading your emotions – I thought maybe it was Rosalie, or Emmet but … it was you. And you're nervous right now – which makes me wonder why.'

'Jasper-' Alice tried to cut in., but he interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

'When you came in here, and saw me, you immediately felt guilt.' He held up one finger. 'Quickly after a gradual realisation. Shock followed.' He held up a second and third. 'And the fourth and fifth came in equal quantities at the same time; you felt touched but you also felt annoyed' With his five fingers up in the air, he came over to her vampire speed, until their noses were almost touching. 'Care to explain?'

Alice was scared. She didn't know what to feel, and she knew she couldn't – shouldn't – feel right now or Jasper would know exactly what she was feeling. But she was scared. She was frightened and worried. She felt guilty and awful, but at the same time she felt no regrets. Jasper didn't love her in the way she wanted to be loved.

But she couldn't answer his question. He had loved her for fifty years, and he had done this incredibly sweet thing to celebrate it, while there she was out was fucking another guy. Not only that, but his brother. Alice couldn't believe she forgot their anniversary. She couldn't believe it, and she was sorry for the hurt it was causing Jasper. But she couldn't explain it – it would only make the situation worse. And it would result in a fight between Jasper and Edward – and who knew what the out-come would be.

He was looking at her, waiting for a response. His expression was torn, searching for answers in her gaze, and he was probably listening to all of her emotions. What was she going to do? She looked up at him, meeting his desperate eyes – and found that even if she had wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to tell him. As she opened her mouth to try to explain something – to spin another lie – she found that there was something obstructing her ability to speak. There was a lump in her throat, and she was sure if she was a human there would be tears threatening to leak form her eyes.

She was sure they were there for hours, just staring at each other and wondering what the other was thinking. Alice hoped it wasn't just her who was resisting the urge to dry sob, or to curl up in a ball and never go outside again. They just stood there, staring at each other – both of them searching for answers in each others eyes. He wanted to know what had happened that night, while she wanted to know if she was still in love with him. She knew, of course, that she would always love him – she had spent fifty years of her life devoting herself to pleasing him and that would never go away – but what she didn't know was whether was still _in_ love with him.

But eventually Jasper must have grown tired of soul searching in eyes she wasn't sure offered answers. Or maybe he was doing the same as her, but searching for something else; the truth perhaps. Maybe he found it and didn't want to spend another second in her company.

In any case, Alice watched as Jasper's face became a cold mask – one she hadn't seen since that fateful day when she met him in the cafe when she asked him what was wrong. Alice watched the change, thinking how it was that on their fiftieth anniversary when they should know each other inside out, and know everything there was to know about the other, that it seemed as if they were two strangers meeting for the first time.

Alice watched the shift in his expression, the tiny minute changes with the knowledge of someone who knows the other person, and she looked for any sign of the Jasper she knew. But the topaz eyes – once warm with what she had scathingly described as puppy-dog love – were cold, distant and empty. The once smiling mouth was pulled into a hard line, giving away no emotion and his once frowning brow was smooth, betraying nothing. She wasn't sure if she loved him, but she didn't want this. She didn't want to not know what he was feeling.

Alice saw as he moved towards their night stand, and picked up the Tiffany's bag he had set there. She thought she heard a single sob as he had his back turned, and when came to face her – still holding the Tiffany's bag – she thought she saw a flicker of emotion in his topaz eyes, but it was gone before she was sure. He handed the bag to her, careful to avoid their hands touching.

'Happy fiftieth anniversary.' He said to her before he walked out the door.

**Sorry it's been a while. Some things were happening, and you know the rest, so I couldn't actually update 'cos I've been real busy.**

**There's a kind of lemon in this chapter after the second scene break – y'know the third scene so if you're a little bit … iffy about that, if you just kinda read the first line or two its pretty self explanatory :D **

**I'll probably be able to update a little bit more often though now because I'm off for summer so … that's good news – I hope :D So here.**

There is a point in every person's life when we look at someone we have known for years and wonder what they think of us. They might be a sister, a mother, a father or brother. Maybe they are a life-long friend or a partner. Regardless, we wonder – despite assurances otherwise – if they really love us, despite our flaws? Do they love us as a whole package, or only parts? We wonder if they like us for us – or if we are there as mere distractions, people to pass the time and keep up appearances.

Jasper Hale stood, alone in the bedroom he shared with his wife. There was rose petals leading a treasure trail from the door to the double bed, which had been made expertly in brand new Egyptian cotton sheets – just the way he knew Alice liked it. On the matching white night-stand were two champagne glasses, their pale pink colour doing little to disguise the contents within. But in a room shared by two vampires; quite honestly, what did you expect?

And Jasper Hale, dressed in a crisp black suit from Prada – his wife's favourite shop – held a small bad from Tiffany's in his hand. He paced around the room – quite slowly, considering the fact he was a vampire – muttering to himself. 'Alice, it's been fifty years since I met you, and I've got to say they they were the greatest in my life … no." He shook his head, 'too … cheesy. Alice Cullen, you have made me happy, whole – I love you … no, no … Um …

'Alice, I believe that we can do anything – anything at all – together. We could rule the world if we wanted to. I would worry – about war, and battle tactics – and you'd make everyone laugh. You know, you would pick the soldiers uniforms and they would hate you because they don't want to wear pink … but, then you would do your puppy dog eyes on them and they wouldn't care if they had to wear a matching pink hand-bag.

'I love the way you have the ability to make everyone love you. I love your smile, your face, your personality. I love that you made me whole again. I love you, Alice Brandon Cullen Hale. And I promise now, like I did at our wedding, that I'll love you forever.'

He smiled, thinking of all the brilliant times they had shared together, and as he glanced around the room, he saw the little things that told everyone Alice lived there. The Vogue magazines sitting on the floor beside her bed, the empty Gucci and Ralph Lauren bags sitting in various places around the room, the little tiny bottles of nail polish in every colour possible …

He grinned to himself – while he didn't deserve how brilliant Alice was in every way, he loved her. And he would love her always.

Edward grinned with his sister as they practised the art they had long ago perfected. They locked eyes with each other, their pupils dilating and the topaz of their eyes turning black with hunger and lust.

Edward advanced, a predator in the dark forest, and reached to remove his sister's shirt. In less than a second it was gone, and she looked at him, her eyes dark with lust. In reply, his hands stroked her perfect skin, at the curves in her body he had long ago spent hours studying and memorising.

His lips found her mouth, and they kissed slowly for a few seconds before his tongue met hers. All of a sudden, there was a change in speed, and he ripped of her bra, desperate. She groaned, almost like an animal, as he took her breast in his mouth and sucked, doing the same tot eh other. "God Alice,' he murmured, ' you don't know how long I've been wanting to do this today. I mean, you strut around that school in those teeny-weeny jeans and expect me to play it cool? I had a hard time hiding from Jasper."

Alice grinned at him, her sharp teeth gleaming in the night. 'Well … I can think of a way to repay you.' Her dark eyes mischievous as she tore off his shirt. Her hands slowly, tantalisingly moved to the belt of his trousers and she unbuckled it. She reached for the button and undid it, hearing Edward's groan as she pulled down his trousers unhurriedly, and allowed her hands to stroke every inch of his body, except the one area where he most wanted attention. Alice looked up at Edward, her dark eyes smoky with lust as he growled animalistically. 'What do you say?' She asked him, her voice low and seductive. 'Please, he begged. '

Is that all?' she asked. 'Is that all you want it? Jasper,' she bit out, her voice low and scathing, 'can do better than that. Will I will I go back to him? Would you like Edward?'

His eyes darkened angrily at the mention of Jasper, 'No!' He growled, his voice hateful, beofre his voice grew desperate once more,'Please suck me, Alice. Please. I want you to.'

She grinned, 'I suppose I could do that,' and bent down to do his will.

Pleasure filled moans filled the night as two lovers basked in forbidden love.

'Where were you?' Jasper asked softly as Alice entered the bedroom. Her mouth dropped slightly when she saw the flowers, the champagne classes, the Tiffany's bag. It was. She realised with a shock, her fiftieth anniversary. She wasn't cruel, she wasn't a bad wife; she knew it was coming up – just not … well, now. 'You said you were just going for a quick hunt. It's – it's been hours.'

Jasper looked at her, his topaz eyes so filled with love, but she could hurt mixed in as well. He was frowning, waiting for a reply, but she couldn't help a feeling bubbling in her chest of irritation. How could Jasper love her so much? So trustfully, so loyal, almost – she thought – like a puppy, following her around, year after year. Copying her choices, following her where she went. It was tiresome – she needed a real man, one who was able to love her without losing his personality while doing it. Someone like Edward.

He was frowning down, his thick eyebrows pulled together into one great line, but while Jasper was angry with her, his eyes still burned with love. Puppy dog love. He frowned deeper, and looked at her strangely. Shit. Jasper was waiting for a reply. 'I was hunting,' she assured him. 'There wasn't any good game nearby, so I had to go further into the forest.' She lied smoothly – it was not the first time Alice had done this.

He nodded, accepting the lie, but he kept frowning. The anger in his eyes was still there, and the hurt was becoming more pronounced. 'But it is our anniversary. You always hunt large game. Always go hunting for hours on end. Always. Could you not have settled for a small animal? Just for tonight?'

Fuck, Alice thought, he was getting more observant. She would need a new excuse soon. That was clear. Stealthily, she advanced towards him – glad she had rolled in mud to wipe Edward's scent from her – and placed her hand on her chest. Her dark eyes smouldering, Alice replied, 'I wanted to have lots of energy for tonight …'

But Jasper was backing away, shaking his head as realisation dawning in his topaz eyes, 'When you came in here and you saw this,' he gestured with his hand around the room, 'you felt a cocktail of five emotions. Know what they were?' He asked, his eyes appraising Alice who gulped nervously. You see at first, I wasn't sure I was reading your emotions – I thought maybe it was Rosalie, or Emmet but … it was you. And you're nervous right now – which makes me wonder why.'

'Jasper-' Alice tried to cut in., but he interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

'When you came in here, and saw me, you immediately felt guilt.' He held up one finger. 'Quickly after a gradual realisation. Shock followed.' He held up a second and third. 'And the fourth and fifth came in equal quantities at the same time; you felt touched but you also felt annoyed' With his five fingers up in the air, he came over to her vampire speed, until their noses were almost touching. 'Care to explain?'

Alice was scared. She didn't know what to feel, and she knew she couldn't – shouldn't – feel right now or Jasper would know exactly what she was feeling. But she was scared. She was frightened and worried. She felt guilty and awful, but at the same time she felt no regrets. Jasper didn't love her in the way she wanted to be loved.

But she couldn't answer his question. He had loved her for fifty years, and he had done this incredibly sweet thing to celebrate it, while there she was out was fucking another guy. Not only that, but his brother. Alice couldn't believe she forgot their anniversary. She couldn't believe it, and she was sorry for the hurt it was causing Jasper. But she couldn't explain it – it would only make the situation worse. And it would result in a fight between Jasper and Edward – and who knew what the out-come would be.

He was looking at her, waiting for a response. His expression was torn, searching for answers in her gaze, and he was probably listening to all of her emotions. What was she going to do? She looked up at him, meeting his desperate eyes – and found that even if she had wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to tell him. As she opened her mouth to try to explain something – to spin another lie – she found that there was something obstructing her ability to speak. There was a lump in her throat, and she was sure if she was a human there would be tears threatening to leak form her eyes.

She was sure they were there for hours, just staring at each other and wondering what the other was thinking. Alice hoped it wasn't just her who was resisting the urge to dry sob, or to curl up in a ball and never go outside again. They just stood there, staring at each other – both of them searching for answers in each others eyes. He wanted to know what had happened that night, while she wanted to know if she was still in love with him. She knew, of course, that she would always love him – she had spent fifty years of her life devoting herself to pleasing him and that would never go away – but what she didn't know was whether was still _in_ love with him.

But eventually Jasper must have grown tired of soul searching in eyes she wasn't sure offered answers. Or maybe he was doing the same as her, but searching for something else; the truth perhaps. Maybe he found it and didn't want to spend another second in her company.

In any case, Alice watched as Jasper's face became a cold mask – one she hadn't seen since that fateful day when she met him in the cafe when she asked him what was wrong. Alice watched the change, thinking how it was that on their fiftieth anniversary when they should know each other inside out, and know everything there was to know about the other, that it seemed as if they were two strangers meeting for the first time.

Alice watched the shift in his expression, the tiny minute changes with the knowledge of someone who knows the other person, and she looked for any sign of the Jasper she knew. But the topaz eyes – once warm with what she had scathingly described as puppy-dog love – were cold, distant and empty. The once smiling mouth was pulled into a hard line, giving away no emotion and his once frowning brow was smooth, betraying nothing. She wasn't sure if she loved him, but she didn't want this. She didn't want to not know what he was feeling.

Alice saw as he moved towards their night stand, and picked up the Tiffany's bag he had set there. She thought she heard a single sob as he had his back turned, and when came to face her – still holding the Tiffany's bag – she thought she saw a flicker of emotion in his topaz eyes, but it was gone before she was sure. He handed the bag to her, careful to avoid their hands touching.

'Happy fiftieth anniversary.' He said to her before he walked out the door.


End file.
